Earring



L. HOFFMAN Sept. 1s, 1945.

EARRING Filed Nov. 13, 1943 INVENTOR` jfoazlsjYg/'mza BY ATTORNEYS; r v

Patented Sept. 18, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EARitING LouisHoffman, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application November 13, 1943, Serial No. 510,094 9 claims. u(c1.6341-4) My invention relates to an earring and more particularly to anarrangement for securing an earring against loss.

One of the objects of my invention is a simple and inexpensivearrangement whereby an earring can be secured to the lobe of the ear.

Another object of my invention is the provision of an arrangementwh'ereby an earring can be readily secured to and removed from ritsfixed association with the lobe of the ear.

Another object of my invention is the provision of means for securing anearring in position on the ear whereby any unintended or undesiredtendency of the earring to drop off the ear will automatically cause thesecuring actionrof the securing means to act with increasedeffectiveness.

For the attainment of these objects and such other objects as mayhereinafter appear or 'be pointed out,V I have illustratedvan embodimentof' my invention in the drawing herein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of my -earring assembly detachedfrom the ear;

Figure 2 is a vertical section through the assembly of Figure 1 securedvto the ear'; y

Figure 3 isa top elevational view of Figure 1;

Fig-urefl is a section taken on line 4 -4 of Figure v1 looking in thedirection of the arrows; and

Figure 5 is a perspective View of the securing member separated from theearring.

Upon viewing Figures l and 2 it will be observed that the device thereinillustrated is comprised of an ear-embracing member A shown in Figure 2inits ear-embracing position and a member B sh'own in Figures 1 and 4 asadjustably 'engaged with the member A and shown informed from anypreferred or desired material' which will serve the purposes herein setforth', such-as metal, plastic or the like and in any preferred ordesired manner. I find that the objects of my invention are effectivelyai'ta'inedl when the member A is formed or stamped fromA sheete'dmaterial such as metal to provide a strip which is bent to a shape and`conformation such as show-n in 'the drawing.

Upon comparing Figures land 4 it willbe observed that the member A iscomprised of the portion-20 which carries or presents the visible ordecorative portion of the earring to the front thereotheI portion 2|- inwhich the aforementioned securing member 1IB is carried, and the U-shapedV section which connects the two portions 2!! and 2 i and whichfor convenience of disclosure will be identified-as'comprised of twolegs 2liV and 25- and the connectingbight 26. The relative dimensions ofthe several parts of the disclosed embodiment can becalculated fromFigure 2 by reference to the thickness there given to the lobe of theear vand to which reference character L has -been applied.

The `U-shaped portion, comprised of the parts z 24', 25 and 26, is shownasfforrned from a at strip of metal or other satisfactory material andis of relatively narrow width. While its width may for general purposebe a matter of choice, it is contemplated that legs 24 and 25 be capableof being spread apartto engage the member A about the lobe f the ear andthat they tend to return to their normal position when such engagementis effected, the material o'f which the parts 24, 25 and .-26 are madeand their dimensions should be `such 'as to permit these parts tofunction in this manner".`

The ornament carrying portion 20 is shown as extending upwardly from theupper end of lef,T 24. Its perimeter is shown as circular, its diameteras 'much greater than 'the 'aforementioned width of thefleg 24 and itsshape is contoured so as to becon'cavo convex vwith the convex face 32presented inwardly orto the rear and the concave surfaceA 35i presentedoutwardly or to the front all for "the purposes of presenting arelatively l'arge area of contact to the ear with a minimum ofirritation. The` concave face 3"! may serve as or may carrythedecorative or ornamental portion ofthe earring which is visible tothe onlooker.

The member 2| 'extends upwardly from the upper endof the leg 25. While Ishow its perimeter as, round sor circular,A thisiwill be understoodmerely las exemplifying one of the many shapes that may'be'given. tothis extension. Its width o`r diameter isfalso `greater than the width'of the leg^`25 as given inthe drawing for reasons that willV be pointedout as this description proceeds.

.The securing or locking member B is also formed' preferably of a stripof material bent to a shape and a construction to function as morefull'y 'to be described by reference to the various gures of thedrawing. Upon viewing Figures 4. and 5` `it will be observed that thestrip from which vthe locking member B isformed is sh'own as of uniformwidth throughout. The reason for this will appear shortly. This strip ispreferably made of a resilient material. Its intermediate portion isbent into the ringlike conformation shown at 40 which forms one end ofthe resulting structure. This ringlike portion or head 40 terminates atpoints 40 and 402 which are normally in close adjacency however to leavea slight space 4| between these points when the parts of member B are intheir normal relation (see Figure 5).. This ringlike portion 40 can becompressed to the limit permitted by the space 4|. This limit is reachedwhen the points 40 and 402 contact.

Extending from th'ese terminals or points 40' and 402 of the ringlikemember 40 and in the vsame direction are the two portions which I shallhereafter term fingers It will now be pointed out that the enlarged heador portion 2| of the member A which eX- tends upwardly from the leg 25is provided with opening 30 shown as rectangular and whose width is asclose to that of the strip from which the locking member B is formed asis permitted, however without interfering with the free sliding movementof the member B through this opening '30. The height of this openingreflects the manner in .which the two ngers function and will thereforebe described by reference to the thickness of the member B as measuredon Figure 5 in the plane through the neck HV-402 wherein the member B isshown in its normal (i. e. uncompressed) oondition. It will suffice forthe moment to state that the height of opening 30 is slightly less thanthat aforementioned thickness so that when the element B is assembledwith element A (see Figures 1 and 2) the former will always be undercompression.

Reference has been made to the lingers which extend from the ringlikemember 40. These 1ingers will be described by reference to Figure 5wherein they are each shown as comprising va relatively straight portion42 or 44 which extends outwardly from terminals `40 .and 402 and whichterminates in curved portion 43 and 45 respectively so that the twoiingers can bevcharacterized as hooklike in conformation. Upon viewingFigures 1, 2 and 5 it will be observed that the curved or hook portion-45 is formed larger than thehook portion 43. This diference can be eX-pressed as resulting from the fact that hook portion 45 is bent to havea larger radius of curvature than has the hook portion 43, although thisis not to be taken to mean that these portions are bent precisely to acircular conformation. It will also be observed by reference to Figure 5that the straight portion 42 is shorter than portion 44 and as a resultthe hooklike end 45 of the latter is positioned generally furtherremoved from ringlike member -40 than is hook 43,

The portions 42, 443, 44 and 45 are given a normal permanent set such asshown in Figure 5. It will be seen upon viewing Figure 5 that the nnger1portion 42 has a set at a downward angle somewhat as shown in thatfigure whereas the linger portion 44 has a set at an upward angle andthat in the normal uncompressed position of the locking member B (whendisassembled from the earring as in Figure 5) the terminal end of thehook -43 at the end of the finger portion 42 extends downwardly beyondthe terminal end of the curved end 45.

It has already been stated that the opening 30 in the member 2| is aboutthe width of the two ngers and that its height is such that when thelocking member B is inserted therethrough, the top and bottom edges ofthe opening 30 in portion 2| of member A will always directly impose acompression action on the members 42 and 44 and indirectly a compressionaction upon the ring member 40 and which compression action willincrease as the member B is entered further through the opening 30because these portions 42 and 44 are given a normal set of divergence asshown in Figure 5. The initial compression will distort ring 40 so thatthe terminals 40 and 402 will be forced into Contact. Any increase incompression, .which as stated will result when the member B is movedfurther through opening 3), will cause the finger portions 42 and 44 tobe flexed about this line of Contact to reduce the angle therebetweenand bring them into closer adjacency and in so doing will cause thecurved part 43 to move relatively to the curved part 45 from itsposition of Figure l to its position of Figure 2.

The member B of Figure 5 is,assembled with member A of the other iguresin any preferred or desired manner as by forcing the straight lingerportions 42 and 44 into close adjacency and thereby causing the hookedorvv curved portion 43 to nest entirely within the vcurved portion 45even beyond the relative position of these two as shown in Figure 2where the two portions 42 and 44 are shown only partly forced towardeach other. In this distorted or compressed position of the parts of themember B, the member B can be manipulated so that the outer free end ofthe curved or hooked portions 43 and 45 can be entered into and throughthe opening 30 by a gradual angling movement of the memberB beginningwith a position where the member B is just presented with these terminalportions in registration .with opening 30 for initial entry thereof intosaid 'opening and the member B then gradually angled until the partsassume a relation somewhat as shown in Figure -1 Vof the drawing.

It will be again repeated that the height of the opening 30 is such thatthe leg portions 42 and 44 will always be held under compression andthat the degree of compression will depend upon they extent to which themember B is moved inwardly through the opening l30. It will be herepointed out that Ibecause of this increasing compression as theInemlbers move outwardly the tendency will be for the member B to moveinwardly to its position of Figure 1.

The securement to the lobe of lthe ear L is effected as follows: thelegs 24 and 25 are spread apart suiciently so that the assembly VofFigure 1 can engage about and embrace the lower vend of the lobe L ofthe ear. In this operation the member B will assume the position shownin Figure 2 due to the thickness of the interposed ear lobe L. In thisposition the compression ordistortion of the legs of the member B,wil1be considerably greater than that of its position in Figlure 1 andtherefore the tendency ofythe member B to move inwardly toward earringl20 will have been considerably increased. As a result the member B -willtend always to moveV inwardly and in so doing to engage the lobe of theear with 'an increasing pressure and the curvature of the portion 45 issignincant because it not only gives an increased engagement with thelobe of the ear but also decreases any tendencyto irritate. v The memberB is free to angle within the opening 30 and the signicance, of thisvwill now be pointed out in vassuring the securement of the earringagainst accidental dropping off or separation from thelobe of the ear.Any tendency of thev earring to separate from the lobe of the ear willbe by a downward movement of the earring assembly relatively to the lobe(see Figure 2). This downward movement will tend to swing the member Bclockwise in its position of Figure 2 and in so doing will impose anincreased pressure upon the Aleg portions 42 and 43 which will resistthis relativeV downward movement of the assembly and increase thepressure upon the ear lobe. This increased pressure will be somewhatincreased by the fact that the extreme inner end Yol'the curved `portion45 which is in engagementwith the lobe of the ear, will tend to move inan arc which will bring it closer to the portion 20 of the earring.

The curved parts 43 and 45 are flexible as well as yieldable. Thepressure applied thereby to the lobe of the ear is a yieldable one andfor a substantial length.

It has been pointed out that upon the outward movement of the lockingmember B from its position in Figure 1 to its position in Figure 2 thetracted to its position of Figure 2. This retraction can be facilitatedby compressing either the rinklike portion 4) or pressing together theportions 42 and 44. The legs 24 and 25 are then spread apartsufficiently so that theassembly can be freely received over the edge ofthe lobe of the Upon releasey the legs 24 and 25 will then resume theirnormal position as shown in Figure 2 and the lobe of the ear will beengaged by and between the upper portion 20 of the leg 24 and the curvedportion 45 of the member B. Since the portions 42 and 44 are undersubstantial compression in their position of Figure 2, there will be atendency of the member B to move inwardly and this tendency will serveto apply a continuous yieldable pressure to the ear which has a tendencyto increase. Any downward force applied t'o the member B will cause thepressure of the curved portion 45 uponthe lobe of the ear to beincreased and therefore to resist the separating action.

When it is desired to release the earring, compression is applied by thengers either to the ringlike portion 4i) or to the portions 42 and 44 soas to free these portions from their engagement with the top and bottomwalls of the opening 3Q, and this action will tend to free the member Bof the compression action imposed by the upper and lower edges of theopening 45 and permit the earring to be removed.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claimas new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. An earring comprising a U-shaped ornament-carrying member adapted toembrace the edge of the lobe of the ear, one of the legs of said memberhaving an opening therethrough and a locking member adapted to bereceived in said opening for sliding adjustment therethrough, saidlocking member comprising two relatively yieldable lingers insuperimposed relation and diverging outwardly, one of said fingers beingadapted to engage the upperedge of the opening adjustment therethropgh,said locking member comprising two relatively yieldable fingers insuperimposed relation and diverging outwardly, one of said rlngers'beingadapted to engage the upper edge of the opening and the other the loweredge of the opening and one of said fingers being provided with a curvedinner portion adapted to engage the lobe of the ear whereby the movementof said locking member to an ear lobe releasing position will beresisted by the increased pressure exerted thereon as the result of saidmovement.

3. An earring comprising a U-shaped member adapted to embrace the edgeof the lobe of an ear, one of the legs of said member having an openingtherethrough and a locking member adapted to be received in said openingfor sliding adjustment therethrough, said locking member comprising tworelatively yieldable ngers in superimposed relation, said ngers eachcomprising portions at an outwardly diverging angle to each other and acurved end portion, one of said outwardly diverging portions beingadapted to engage the upper edge of the opening and the other the loweredge of the opening whereby the movement of said locking member to anear lobe releasing position will be resisted by the increased pressureexerted thereon as the result of said movement.

4. An earring comprising a U-shaped member adapted to embrace the edgeof an ear lobe, one of the legs o said member carrying the head of theearring which is visible and positioned on the exterior of the lobe, andthe other leg having an opening therethrough and a locking memberengaged through said opening, said locking member having an enlargedhead to prevent separation from the leg and two yieldable fingerspresented in the space between the legs of the first mentioned U-shapedmember and normally in spread-apart relation, said two fingers of saidlooking member presenting surfaces which engage the opening and whichdiverge inwardly toward the earring head, whereby the locking memberwill normally be retained in its innermost or locking position and canbe moved outwardly from that position only by moving the two yieldablefingers into closer adjacency to reduce the angle of divergence of theirouter surfaces.

5. An earring comprising a body member and a locking member, the bodymember being U- shaped and having an earring head at the end of one ofthe legs and an opening through the end of the other leg, said lockingmember having an enlarged head at one end and two inwardly divergingngers in superimposed relation extending inwardly from said end andconnected to the head by aconstricted neck, said locking member beingengaged through the aforementioned opening to present one of the twoaforementioned ngers in .opposition to the earring head, whereby thelocking member will normally ornament-carrying member beingU-shapedlfand :being :so :formed nthat it can -be spread to em-`ibraeemhe fedge-.of the'lobefof 'the-earand oneioi its legs :beingprovided with an .opening `there- ?through, :said nlocking member lbeing.made -0f a strip of resilient material :doubled over upon -itself so-as to v:prow/idearinglikeloead=at-one end fand wngers projectingtherefrom, said -ingers n Ydiverging -outwardly and -each beingtprovided with an end curved in the same generahdirection @and said-*fingers 1being of a widthso that they `can be lrece'ived through 4theaforementioned #opening .in ione of -the legs of lthe Iornament-carrying:member dor free .sliding movement there- 111, :the fheight oftheopening .being such fthat .the .diverging lingers are always .under-compression which increases as the locking member is -moved voutwardlythrough :the yopening whereby, -when the assembly l0f 'theornament-carrying .member :and -the locking :member are .engaged about.the

lobeof theear,.thesaideompression action upon the two -diverging fingerswill tend `to force the :locking member inwardly into engagement with.the .lobeiof the ear.

"1. An .earring comprising anAornament-carry- .-ingmember -and a.memberfor locking said .iirst mentioned member to the lobe oban-earfsaidort-namentaoarrying member .being .U -shaped to embrace'the .edge of the.lobe of the ear, one .of .its legs being :provided with an openingtherethrough, said lockingfmemberrcomprisinga head 4at oneendandtngersprojecting therefrom, said .ingers being .made of-resilient .materialand di- -verging .outwardly and veach being .provided with `anfendcurved :in the same general directionand said .-iingers .being of .awidth so that they can be .received :through the aforementioned openingin .one .of the .legs of the .ornament-carrying mem- .ber =forfree.sliding .movement therein, the rheight of .the 4opening being .suchthat the diverging ngers .are always under compression which in-Passagers @creases as @the :locking :member .fis `moved outwardlythrough 'the opening whereby, vwhen the assembly `of atheornament-.carrying member :and 'the 'looking =Iriember are 'engaged'about 'the Vlobe -of the-ear, :the #said-compression action Lupon'thevtwoidiverging lingers will iten'd eto1f0rcethe lock- =ing memberiinwardly -linto Vengagement 4with vv.the lobe .of tlenear.

f8. :A'n fearring comprising fan ornament-carryling member -fandramember:for locking said rst :mentioned member to :the lobe l"of -an ear, 4saidornament-carrying :member VIAbeing `U-shaped '.to :embrace :the edgefof'-the :lobe lof Ath'e'rear, one -0f Sits legs :being ,provided with :anxopening -therethrough, .said locking member .comprisingai ead fa-t1oneend .fandfngeraprojecting therefromlsaid :fingers being madeof'resilientfmaterialan diverging outwardly and one of thengerslhaving:its outer portiomourved, said l-fingers vbeing vof a width :so v`.thatthey lcan Abe .received through the .aforementioned .opening :in lone ofthe legs of `the ornament-carrying member for :tree :sliding movementtherein, the .height -vof -the fopening .beingfsuch that Athe-.diverging.fingers are always .under/compression which Yincreases asthe lock- ;ingmember -is .moved :outwardly :through the =opening whereby, when theassembly Alof the 'orrnament-carrying -member and -the locking {member.areiengaged about thelobe of ithe ear, lthe -VVsaideompressicn actionlupon the two .diverging -iingers will tendlto rforce thecurved portionof the locking member inwardly .into engagement -with =the flobe f ofthe vear.

9..An earring comprising a -Usshaped -ornament-.carrying memberadaptedAto embrace the xedge -of fthe lobe of .-an ear, lonecn `,thelegs-ofsaid U shaped.ornamentecarrying fmember .having an openingtherethrough and la locking -member to be received in v#said opening.for fsecuring the ornamentecarrying `member attached .to fthe ear lobe,saidflocking member fbeing .adjustable from ear-locking position toear-releasing positionand -comprising means which A'engage :portions of.the :edge-of-said opening to resist movement-of said .locking -member-to ear .lobe releasing .position to .a rdegree lwhich increases .withthe increase fin .the aforementioned .releasing `movement, where-byYtheornament-carryingmember will be secured against `accidentalreleasefrom the ear lobe, .and .means for rendering fineiective the engagement`of .the aforementioned -means with w.the .edge of .the `opening vtopermit .the V4purposeful .movement Aof .the llocking .to itsear-releasing .position.

LOUIS

